Gideon Falls #1 – A G.I. Gary Advance Comic Review!

Jeff Lemire has reteamed with Andrea Sorrentino, and recruited Dave Stewart, to bring us “Gideon Falls,” a religous themed horror/thriller comic. If anything is implied in the name, its that there is a fight looming. The title reminds of the Prophet Gideon, who per God’s commands, destroyed false idols and then led a small 300 man army against the Midianites, and won. This presents several themes for this creative team to run with over the course of their story.

This first issue serves to frame the story. We are introduced to two main characters; first Norton, a borderline committed asylum patient, and Father Fred, a Catholic priest who’s considered to have lost his way in faith. Norton seems to be onto something, as he searches for clues in the flotsam of his city, seemingly with a logic that others doubt. He claims a connection to an ominous force, but his past betrays belief from others. Father Fred, on the other hand, is assigned a new congregation, in Gideon Falls. What he experiences there is much more direct, and serves as the ignition for the story.

Lemire’s script builds intensity as you read. The further you go, the tone shifts from “something is wrong here” to “we’ve definitely got a problem.” He’s seeming to pace the story so the payoff is bigger, and potentially more meaningful. He chooses to set the story in motion and explain nothing, setting up situations and leaving you hanging for more, like a good mystery.

Sorrentino’s pencils convey a sense of history to the characters and settings. The older characters look experienced and weary from life. The settings look appropriately weathered and potentially meaningful. There’s a couple of great panels, centered around the character of Norton. One is his apartment in a panoramic 360 degree view. The other is him and polaroids of what he’s found portraying his struggle of finding the meaning. Father Fred’s best panels are of him coming to Gideon Falls, and his arriving at his parish.

Overall, this is a great first chapter. There are many questions that draw me in for that second issue. I enjoy the religious themes and their potential threads they may lead the narrative into. The art is appropriately toned and adds to the weight of the story.

This is a solid 4.5 stars out of 5 from me! Can’t wait to read it again in March of 2018!